Leadership Sioux Falls
The Program
The Evan C. Nolte Leadership Sioux Falls program is designed to meet the community’s need for active participation of informed and dedicated community leaders. The program is built around providing educational experiences, and this process focuses on helping participants identify ways they can serve and engage in active citizenship that aligns with their strengths and talents. If you are a community-minded, committed citizen and have an interest in shaping our community’s future, Leadership Sioux Falls is for you.
Leadership Sioux Falls is not intended to be a leadership training seminar. Rather, students are presented unique opportunities to get behind the scenes in the Sioux Falls area and identify where their leadership would best serve our community. You will naturally build on your leadership skills as you learn about the industries, services and other factors influencing Sioux Falls.
Program Information
Program participants will: be educated and motivated to have greater involvement in the community, expand their personal leadership talent, develop valuable contacts and communication networks and ready themselves for future leadership opportunities in their careers and community.
Employers and sponsoring organizations will: see benefits from the broadened perspectives and enhanced potential of participant, have doors open for greater corporate/organizational community involvement and visibility and create additional opportunities to influence positive change.
The community will: experience benefits through increased community involvement from participants and reap future benefit from collective commitment to effective leadership by program graduates.
To be eligible for selection, the applicant’s employer/sponsor must be in support of the applicant’s full participation in all required sessions.
Participants are selected based on the information submitted on the application and in the required letters of recommendation.
The selection committee strives to enroll a class that represents a diverse range of occupations, backgrounds, interests and talents. Preference may be given to individuals who:
- have participated in past community and professional activities,
- have lived and or worked in the Sioux Falls area for a minimum of 1 year,
- are over the age of 25,
- are able to attend all required sessions,
- and commit to serving and strengthening the community.
In an effort to maintain class cohesiveness and out of respect to the professionals and venues who donate their time to the program, attendance at all sessions is a requirement. We understand that illness and emergencies do happen, so requests for a single excused absence may be considered. Repeated or unexcused absences may result in the participant being dropped from the class. The application process is extremely competitive and we simply ask you make a commitment to the program.
There is a $25 non-refundable application fee that must be paid before submitting the application.
Tuition is $1,000 for employees of Chamber members, or $1,500 for individuals not employed by a Chamber member.
Tuition includes meals, supplies and all costs incidental to the operation of the program. Financial assistance may be available.
Those selected to the program will be invoiced. Tuition must be paid in full prior to the first session.
View application here!The Leadership Sioux Falls program has 8 required sessions, running from October through April. Optional enhancement sessions will offered throughout the program at dates to be determined.
The 2025-26 schedule for Class 40 is:
- October 1 (all day)
- October 22 (2-5 p.m.)
- November 5 (all day)
- December 3 (all day)
- January 7 (3-8 p.m.)
- February 18 (Pierre, all day)
- March 4 (all day)
- April 1 (all day)
- May 6: Graduation (5 – 9 p.m.)
Class members who miss required sessions may be dropped from the program and not graduate.
The Leadership Sioux Falls experience does not end at graduation. Graduates become a new community resource for boards and task force groups in the private and non-profit sector. Graduates are asked to make return “guest appearances” at future Leadership Sioux Falls classes. Through contact with a wide range of professionals and the “behind the scenes” knowledge gained, Leadership Sioux Falls graduates are ready to expand their influence on the community.
I found getting a true look into the workings of industries, non-profits and the local government to be an incredibly valuable experience. In addition to that, networking with a group of peers at the level Leadership Sioux Falls provides is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
